Labatt Stadium Changed to Jackie Robinson Stadium October 13, 1997
The home of the Royals and Alouettes has been renamed Jackie Robinson Stadium, in honour of the legendary baseball player who changed baseball in North American baseball.
Labatt Brewing corp., owner of the Montreal Alouettes, declined to renew primary ownership of the stadium, where both the city's football and baseball teams play. Only a week later software manufacturer Peter Carbonetto snatched up the ownership a week later, easily outbidding a local real estate and insurance company.
Although the Montreal Alouettes will still play football in the stadium, it will no longer be named for the Labatt company. As part of a move to make people aware of baseball history, Carbonetto declared that the stadium would be named after a memorable Royal of the past, Jackie Robinson.
Robinson made history on October 23, 1945 when he signed with the original Montreal Royals when they were still apart of the International League, the first black man in over 60 years to play in the league. While there was a lot of cynicism in the signing, Robinson proved doubters wrong by getting four hits including three-run homer, stealing two bases and scoring twice in his first game. Although he only played one season in Montreal before being sent up to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he made his mark in Montreal.
The stadium will be officially renamed on opening day of the 1998 season.
